Throughout the history of Europe, gardens have played a role
in the lives of the people living here. They have evolved overtime but
nonetheless have been around. I think that there are two main reasons as to why
gardens have been an intrinsic part of the culture: their love for beauty and
nature.
First I think that Europeans truly appreciate beauty.
Creating a beautiful garden has been a way for people to create a natural and
living work of art. The appreciation that Europeans have for visually appealing
things makes gardens an exciting way to enjoy art. They are able to relax
outside and take in the beauty that a garden has to offer. There are so many
elements to a garden that people can revel in. It is more than just plants.
There are statues, architecture, fountains and much more that a person can take
in while spending time in the gardens.
Europeans also seem to have an appreciation for nature and
being outside. Although this may be somewhat of a stereotype, there is
definitely a love for nature that the European culture posses. This makes
gardens an ideal place to spend time. You can be outside and in a place where
you can relax, have lunch, read a book or variety of other things. For
centuries, gardens have given Europeans a place to escape and enjoy life and
that is why they have continued to preserve old and create new gardens
throughout.
Many centuries ago Europeans began creating gardens for many
different reasons. Overtime, these gardens have evolved, taken on new shapes,
sizes and functions but they have continued to play a role in the culture of
Europe. The appreciation that Europeans have for beauty and nature are what I
believe to be the explanation to why this art form has stuck around and been
such an integral part of European culture.
Citations
N.d. Photograph. French GardensWeb. 14 Feb 2014. <http://www.french-gardens.com/design/frenchgardendesign.php>.
N.d. Photograph. The Museum of Natural HistoryWeb. 14 Feb 2014. <http://www.dnm.dk/UK/The_Castle_Garden.htm>.
Shing, . N.d. Photograph. The Culture MapWeb. 14 Feb 2014. <http://www.theculturemap.com/about-travel-blog/>.
Do you think that it is a specifically European trait to revel in the beauty of gardens? That is, why aren't gardens an embedded cultural aspect of Americans?
ReplyDeleteI think that Americans also enjoy reveling in the beauty of things, however I think we do it in a different way. I feel that gardens were not part of our country's history so they were not as available for us to enjoy and therefore it did not become a trait embedded in our culture.
ReplyDelete